Deadlift - Sumo vs. Conventional?

Excerpt: How many of you guys deadlift sumo? I've always pulled conventional, but have wondered if maybe my leverages favored a sumo style dead. I've decided to give it a try for while and see how it goes.
For those who have been deadlifting sumo for a while, any tips?

I tried sumo for the first time a couple weeks ago, and pulled the same as I do conventional.

The hardest part was keeping my shoulders over the bar, and my knees behind it at the same time, in such a wide stance. I thought it was very comfortable though, and seemed much easier than a conventional pull.

When I pull sumo, my shins are in front of the power rings. My grip is a comfortable shoulder width grip just outside the smooth part on the bar. Once I establish my grip, I raise my hips then pull myself down into position and pull back and up. I know this kind of sounds funny but it works. If you can find any pics of Chuck Vogepohl pulling, it will show you his awesome technique. I'll try to find some for you.

I don't want to get in a habit of copying/pasting Dave Tate all the time, but hey, "if it ain't broke don't fix it." So here it is:

"Sumo Style Deadlift: Use a moderate stance and a close hand grip. To start the lift, you will rock into the bar, and the hips come up fast toward the bar. This requires a strong back because the legs lock out long before the bar is completely locked. The most common style is with the feet very wide, out to the plates. The lifter should not lower the hips any more than necessary. The back must be arched to the extreme. Most important is to push your feet out to the sides, not down. Why? By pushing down with a sumo or wide stance, your knees will come together, which is the most common mistake in the sumo. By pushing the knees out forcefully, the hips will come toward the bar fast making for a favorable leverage, placing most of the work on the hips, legs, and glutes. TIPS: Donít stay down too long. It will destroy the stretch reflex."

I am a conventional deadlifter, but my wife pulls sumo (330 @ 105). One of the most important things, which jimmydean already mentioned, is to pull yourself down as low as possible prior to separating the bar from the deck. This will allow a certain amount of stretch reflex to be utilized.

Another thing is to try and pull with the torso as erect as possible. One assistance exercise to work on form with is to perform overhead squats to a box at the height your hips would come down to when pulling, or just below. Set up with your feet in the same stance as when you pull. It is difficult to use any real amount of weight with this, but that is not really the point.

I know a guy who used to be a powerlifter in college in Japan (home of sumo) and the preferred form of his powerlifting team was sumo with the feet splayed outwards. He said that allowed your center of gravity to be closer to the bar. It was weird but he said he learned it from one of Japan's best power lifters ever.